In vino veritas . . . et venustas?

The Judgment of Paris

Diller, Scofidio & Renfro

(Image from FastCoDesign)

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art has an exhibition on wine: "How Wine Became Modern: Design + Wine 1976 to Now." By 'now' is meant from November 20, 2010 to April 17, 2011. But why 1976? That's the year of the famous "Judgment of Paris":

To bring to life the so-called Judgment of Paris from 1976, a cultural tipping point when California wines bested French ones in a blind tasting, Ms. Diller's firm staged a full-scale photo shoot near its offices in Chelsea, complete with actors who looked like the original participants. The resulting photomural of the judges seated at a long table has a distinctly Last Supper look.

The Last Supper look is viewable in the image above. Well, part of it, anyway. A complete version is available at the New York Times, courtesy of a review by Ted Loos, "Lots of Wine, but None to Drink" (December 2, 2010), from where I have the block quote. That more complete, better version resisted my best efforts to 'borrow' it for this blog. One would think that they'd appreciate the free advertising, but there's no accounting for how misunderestimated Gypsy Scholar is, though perhaps today's blog entry will refudiate the doubters as my many readers click over to the NYT slide show.

By the way, in trying to locate a fuller image, I discovered that Arkansas has its own wine museum, which you can also click on over to see . . . though you'll be treated to Pachelbel's Canon if you do visit, so prepare to be 'blown away.' Or not.

That's all that I have time for this busy Keatsian morning of truth and beauty as I turn to grading student essays . . .